THE BILLIONAIRE’S CALL GIRL

01.

[Lena]

Denim, hoodies, oversized tees—anything that lets me breathe.

That’s my style.

Not this.

This—this medieval torture device Anna bullied me into wearing tonight. The darned corset is actively trying to compress my personality out of my body. It hugs too tight and presses in all the wrong places. I mean who wears a scoliosis brace to a gathering where delicacies line the table.

"People with bad backs?" my conscience mocks.

Okay.

Fair enough. Main point is that I'm uncomfortable.

Thankfully, Anna is seated beside me, so I pinch her thigh. Not hard. Just enough.

She flinches, shooting me a look. “What?”

“I can’t feel my ribs,” I mutter.

“That’s because you never sit up straight.”

“You think? Cause I doubt I can bend in this."

She rolls her eyes, unimpressed.

I pinch her again.

High school reunions have to be one of the fakest social events ever created. No one is genuinely excited to see you. They’re only excited to measure you—who’s successful, who peaked early, who’s pretending not to care but absolutely does.

Though not me, I'm a successful romance thriller writer—okay maybe upcoming, yet somehow, despite knowing all this, I was bullied into saying yes to attending by my bestfriend, Anna Laurent.

I’m currently seated at my ten-year highschool reunion, debating whether I can convincingly fake a mild medical emergency. Unfortunately, I already used food poisoning last year, family emergency for last two years, sudden work crisis for last three years, and the list goes on and on. I refuse to become that person with a pattern.

I pinch Anna a third time.

“Bathroom,” I mouth.

She sighs like I’m exhausting—which, fair—but starts to stand with me.

My eyes are glued to the bathroom door.

Freedom is ten feet away. But in three....

Two.

One—

“Heyyyy Noah!” Anna's voice screams.

I, Lena Hamilton, solemnly proclaim the start of a long night.

I freeze on my spot, because I already know that name. And just like that, I can feel the brace tighten all over again.

"Give us a minute, we'd be back!" Anna loudly announces and drags me along to the bathroom.

"Okay! “Don’t panic,” Anna mutters under her breath as she releases the ropes on my corset just a little bit so I can take in more air.

“This is just your lifelong crush seeing you in public since graduation. Totally casual. Try not to die in the first five minutes."

Heaven knows I wasn't myself anymore.

Anna is done and when she comes to stand before me.... I could see her eyes widen. "Jesus! breathe Lena, you're white!"

True to her words, I feel my shoulders drop and my veins relax as I released the air I didn't know I was holding.

"Hey!" Anna continues, "You’re fine. You’re grown. You’re stable. You pay bills. Confidence, Lena. Even if it’s fake. Especially if it’s fake.”

"This is your moment. Don't waste it by blinking too much. If you faint, I'm telling him it's because you've been in love with him for ten years. Try me." She winks and I know she isn't bluffing. If anything, she's enjoying this so much.

I nod my head either ways. Suddenly thankfully for the outfit Anna picked out.

I heard he hadn't attended this reunion for the past three years, so why now? Why did he have to appear just when I said yes to attending?

"Let's head out before they think I'm fingering the life out of you in here."

"Ew." I frown.

"You write way worse things." She rolls her eyes and just as we head out, she halts me. "DON'T... say anything weird, I beg you." She walks out first.

Ugh! I'm offended.

When have I ever said anything weird?

As we sit back down, I look up only to notice one of the guys had given up his chair for Noah and right now, he's sitting directly opposite me!!!!

“Hey, Lena,” he says casually, his gaze raiding my being, “I just got your book.”

Oh.

Oh....

Oh no.

Anna beside me goes very still. The kind of still that says I cannot save you from yourself anymore.

I smile anyway. “Ah,” I say. “That one.”

He nods. “The story about two classmates who reconnect after years and slowly fall into this… very specific relationship situation... Wow.. It's—"

“It’s fiction,” I blurt immediately.

My brain short-circuits.

A few heads turn.

The corner of my eye catches a smirk tugging at Anna's lips as she picks her glass of wine. Noah is still looking at me, so I continue, which I shouldn't have.

“It’s not about anyone, I mean—obviously not real people. That would be weird. It’s just like… inspired by the concept of two people who clearly have chemistry but are emotionally constipated and keep making bad timing decisions and one of them definitely should’ve just said something earlier but didn’t because—I mean, It’s not even romance romance,” I say quickly, spiraling now. “It’s more like..umm...emotional tension. Yes! Emotional tension and-and unresolved feelings and slow realization and also maybe a little denial—okay a lot of denial—but that’s normal, right? People do that. People avoid things. Like emotionally. Not physically. Well sometimes physically—”

Stop talking. Stop talking. Stop talking. I scream within

Anna, beside me makes a small choking sound of joy and embarrassment on my behalf.

Fiddling with my skirt beneath the table, my mouth continues. “And anyway,” I finish weakly, “it’s not based on anyone specific.”

I purse my lips together. The entire table had stilled. Every single person at the table is staring.

Noah, the human inspiration of my book doesn’t speak. He's leaned back into his chair, but his expression— I can't tell what it's saying.

And just like that, Anna's earlier words ring in my ears. "Don't say anything weird."

Right now, I want the floor to open. Politely. Preferably immediately.

.

.

.

"Lena..."

"Lena!"

Whoever was shoving me was doing so really hard and all I could hear was my name in echoes.

"Lena!!" Anna landed a hot slap on my back and my eyes peeled open.

My vision was hazy and blurry. I could barely make out anyone, but the irritated look on Anna's face had me blinking away the remaining traces of alcohol I had drowned myself in.

Yes! Alcohol!

If what happened to me happened to you, you'd do worse, so don't judge me.

"uhm Lena...." that notorious killer voice called my name and my iris focused in on Noah.

"We should hang out some time." He winked and walked away.

Ha-Hang out?

After publicly humiliating myself?!

No f-ing way!

I dragged my purse from the table and staggered out without waiting for Anna. My head spun and banged so hard I could barely keep my eyes open.

Oh s**t!

I wanna puke!

I'm going to puke!

Bush! Bush! Bushes! Where are you?

My hazy vision landed on a green area by the left. Bent over like an old haggard woman, I staggered towards the curb, but then I didn't see her. I didn't notice the slender lady dressed in red and all face covered until we both landed our asses hard on the ground.

Vodka.

Vel-Velvet?

She smelled of something sweet thickened with strong alcohol. Maybe it was one of my classmates, but before I could apologise, she grabbed something from the ground and ran.

"Oh my god, Lena!"

Anna rushed over to me. "Girl, quit disgracing me!"